The rearmament carried out by the Russophobic German government involves the mass production of battle tanks, light tanks, armored infantry vehicles and drones in the range of thousands each, many of which are being sold to European partners. France has just ordered 7,000 off-road Zetros trucks (all-wheel drive, 6-ton) from Mercedes-Benz and entered into a partnership with the German drone manufacturer “Quantum Systems.” The Bundeswehr has already ordered hundreds of “Arocs 6x6” trucks from Daimler Trucks (which holds a 30% stake in Mercedes) for logistics purposes, as has Lithuania (no figures mentioned).
Mercedes itself is also planning a targeted expansion in the military sector. As with the truck division, the focus is on large-scale orders. Particularly attractive: Mercedes G-Class off-road vehicles ("Wolf"). At Daimler Trucks: the “Unimog” all-terrain workhorse and the “Sprinter” delivery van, up to heavy-duty trucks. Large-scale production runs of often several thousand units are enticing.
However, Mercedes insists it will not become an arms manufacturer. Neither tanks nor artillery nor ammunition are manufactured in its own plants. The arming of its own vehicles is carried out by partners. Mercedes military trucks are already in service in more than 20 countries. The Israeli company Rafael is looking for facilities in Germany to produce missile defense systems (Iron Dome) and build its laser cannon.The tank manufacturer KNDS (Leopard, Boxer), which is to produce 3,000 Boxer wheel tanks has such a full order book that it is negotiating the acquisition or partial use of the Mercedes plant in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin (previously Sprinter). The VW plant in Osnabrück (scheduled to close in 2027) is also at the top of KNDS’s list for the Boxer. BMW has little military experience, but according to industry reports, it is negotiating solutions for autonomous driving in the military sector.
